The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-04
Stare and Angels.

Obadiah Oldschool. in Chicago Interior
We have excellent minister. He has not
the noble presence and logical power of John
Hall or the brilliant imagination Of 7. d. Tai
mage. But he is a scholarly, earnest and faith
full man. Yet there who don't like
him. One of my brother elders came in last
night to talk church affairs. He thinks
that we might do better if we tried-might get a
man who would be popular with the
young people, and After listening to
him for while, / said: ''Before talk any
more about this matter let read few verses
from the Bible" 1 opened to the first chapter
of Revelation. and read about tn appearance OF
the gloriied Savior 10 John on Patmos. with
stars in his right hand These stars, He told
john were the seven angels of the churches IN
Asia. He meant, of course, the pastors of those
churches, for He went on TO send messages to
them. Now those seven pastors were not ma
terially different from other pastors They
representatives of all Christian pastors in all
time. 1t is true, then, Of them ALL that Jesus
holds them stars in His right hand-that He
sends them to the churches as His angels or mes
sengers And said to my visitor. Now sup
pose that the Lord Jesus came TO our church
next Sunday, and stood in the pulpit holding
in His right hand, would you sit in your
and criticise that start Would you say,
There are bigger stars than that. 1t is only of
the fourth magnitude. Why don't He bring
Sirius or AldebaranF Would you say, "Why.
that star wrinkles, Its light is not steady
that of the sum- Would you try to pluck that
star out of the Saviors hand, and then ask Him
to give you another in its place2 No. indeed You
would feel that it was the very best star for
US, because the Savior brought 1t to You
would esteem that star very highly for its own
sake, and for the sake of Him who brought ir.
You would soon think of trying to climb up
and strike a star from its place In the sky, as to
try to strike that particular star out OF the Sa-
vior's hand, or to drive Him with 1t out of the
pulpit. Now, 1t seems to me that by the sym
bolcal act of holding these seven stars in His
hand SaylOr imDOrtapt
His ministers very dear to Him. He
will deeply feel and promptly resent any unkind
treatment of them They are His special repre-
sentatives, placed where they are by His provi-
dence to shine for Him. Wemust be sure that
He wants them in some other sphere before we
consent to their removal. To plan and labor
for such a removal as long minister is
faithful and useful, is trying to pluck the star
out of the Savors hand.
Then think Of that other name by which He
designates the pastor-the angel of the church.
Now angel means messenger. But the pastor
is not a messenger sent out by the church He
is sent by Christ to the church He comes to
us from Christ. He stays with us because it is
Christ's will that he should. All this Is evident
ly implied the of that word angel Paul
wrote to the Galatians: 'Ye received
angel of God. even as Christ Jesus and yet he
admits that his bodily presence weak and
his speech contemplate. And he tells the
Thessal onans to esteem their ministers very
highly In love for their works sake. Suppose
that the Lord should send one of the
angels VINO stand around His throne to preach
to US, to visit US when we are SICK to comfort
us when we are bereaved how would we treat
that angel? His style, being that of heaven,
might not be popular with the worldly minded
in our congregation. But would we find fault
with him on that account? Would we want him
to conform to our carnal ideas of propriety2 As
would treat such an angel, if he moved
among US in celestial beauty. ought to treat
this man of God whom Jesus calls an angel, and
whom He holds as star in his right hand"
My brother elder received my admonition
kindly, and promised to quit trying to unsettie
our pastor, because his fidelity offends the out
siders. But after he went away those words,
stars and angels" kept ringing in ny o
why IS the churchs estimate of her ministers so
far below that of Jesusl Why do many Chris
tians regard their pastors as mere hirelines, who
should preach to please those who employ and
pay them, and whom they have a right to dis
miss at peasure2 And L am driven to this con-
clusion: The trouble is not with the churches
alone. There are ministers who seem TO forget
that they are stars in Christ's hand; who seem
to think that they must secure some earthly
pedestal to rest upon IN order TO shlne. Ino
moment that an ambassador for Christ begins TO
trust in body but Christ himself, begins 20
study how to please any body but Christ ne IS IN
danger OF oscom,ns c fallen 1o sfAF For IF re.
pleased men 1 should not be the servant OF
Christ"
Ministers OF the gospel are like stars God
has placed them in the armament just where
He wants them to shine. They are not all alike,
but of different magnitudes- They oil twinkle.
showing that there is human imperfection,
though the light they radiate IS divine They
are not Ineteors. flashing for a moment and then
expiring. They are not erratlc comets, but
shine with calm and steady radiance. And the
darker the night the Fighter they shine. Never
is the true minister of Christ so welcome aud
useful as in the hour of affection.
Ministers of tho gospel are angels They are
Gods chosen ones-His ministerine spirits, sent
forth TO minister to the heirs of salvation. They
should always remember whose they are and
whom they serve They should be ready to do
any duty, however trivial or meniai if God tells
them to. An angel was sent to cook breakfast
for Elijah in the desert. Our Lord himself
aeh ed faef l,etf ha nf C.od
not think of himself more highly than he ought
to think; but let him appreciate his high call
ing, which is of God in Jesus Christ; let him
cultivate that simple dignity of spirit aud of
bearing which characterized his Lord. and like
Him. go about doing good. Then the people
viii learn to love and honor him for Jesus sake